«Clarel – Part IV (of IV)» by Herman Melville

Part IV — (of IV) Bethlehem


Herman Melville was born in New York City on August 1st, 1819, the third of eight children.
At the age of 7 Melville contracted scarlet fever which was to permanently diminish his eyesight.
At this time Melville was described as being “very backwards in speech and somewhat slow in comprehension.”
His father died when he was 12 leaving the family in very straitened times. Just 14 Melville took a job in a bank paying $150 a year that he obtained via his uncle, Peter Gansevoort, who was one of the directors of the New York State Bank.
After a failed stint as a surveyor he signed on to go to sea and travelled across the Atlantic to Liverpool and then on further voyages to the Pacific on adventures which would soon become the architecture of his novels. Whilst travelling he joined a mutiny, was jailed, fell in love with a South Pacific beauty and became known as a figure of opposition to the coercion of native Hawaiians to the Christian religion.
He drew from these experiences in his books Typee, Omoo, and White-Jacket. These were published as novels, the first initially in London in 1846.
By 1851 his masterpiece, Moby Dick, was ready to be published. It is perhaps, and certainly at the time, one of the most ambitious novels ever written. However, it never sold out its initial print run of 3,000 and Melville’s earnings on this masterpiece were a mere $556.37.
In succeeding years his reputation waned and he found life increasingly difficult. His family was growing, now four children, and a stable income was essential.
With his finances in a disappointing state Melville took the advice of friends that a change in career was called for. For many others public lecturing had proved very rewarding. From late 1857 to 1860, Melville embarked upon three lecture tours, where he spoke mainly on Roman statuary and sightseeing in Rome.
In 1876 he was at last able to publish privately his 16,000 line epic poem Clarel. It was to no avail. The book had an initial printing of 350 copies, but sales failed miserably.
On December 31st, 1885 Melville was at last able to retire. His wife had inherited several small legacies and provide them with a reasonable income.
Herman Melville, novelist, poet, short story writer and essayist, died at his home on September 28rh 1891 from cardiovascular disease.


Index of Contents
Part IV — Bethlehem
Canto I — In Saddle
Canto II — The Ensign
Canto III — The Island
Canto IV — An Intruder
Canto V — Of the Stranger
Canto VI — Bethlehem
Canto VII — At Table
Canto VIII — The Pillow
Canto IX — The Shepherds' Dale
Canto X — A Monument
Canto XI — Disquiet
Canto XII — Of Pope and Turk
Canto XIII — The Church of the Star
Canto XIV — Soldier and Monk
Canto XV — Symphonies
Canto XVI — The Convent Roof
Canto XVII — A Transition
Canto XVIII — The Hillside
Canto XIX — A New-Comer
Canto XX — Derwent and Ungar
Canto XXI — Ungar and Rolfe
Canto XXII — Of Wickedness the Word
Canto XXIII — Derwent and Rolfe
Canto XXIV — Twilight
Canto XXV — The Invitation
Canto XXVI — The Prodigal
Canto XXVII — By Parapet
Canto XXVIII — David's Well
Canto XXIX — The Night Ride
Canto XXX — The Valley of Decision
Canto XXXI — Dirge
Canto XXXII — Passion Week
Canto XXXIII — Easter
Canto XXXIV — Via Crucis
Canto XXXV — Epilogue
Herman Melville — A Short Biography
Herman Melville — A Concise Bibliography